Sneaking In
by thebluecray0n
Summary: Rebellious Princess Emma meets straight edged Lieutenant Killian in a sticky situation. AU Captain Swan


_Summary: Rebel Princess Emma meets straight edged Lieutenant Jones in a sticky situation._

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Sneaking out was the hard part. She had to make sure her parents wouldn't need her and that no one spotted her-the castle always had people appearing around corners. And her parents were a tad overbearing. They were always searching her out, wanting to do family _activities_ with her. And it wasn't that Emma didn't like her parents, because David and Snow were cool, she just wanted some alone time.

The family bonding things had seem to have gotten worse when sixteen year old Emma woke up one day and flounced into the cavernous breakfast hall and said, "Good morning, David and Snow."

Her mom had nearly cried. Her dad had to wrap both his arms around her shoulders until she composed herself. Emma didn't do tears, so she backed out of the room and skipped breakfast for the rest of the week.

Now, as she stood at the base of the castle, her boots flecked with mud, she stared up at the shut window. This wasn't an impossible task. She could still climb up and pry it open. It had happened a few times before and it usually just resulted in a bruise she could easily cover up. But there was a new set of footprints steadily growing louder and Emma realized she'd have to hide.

Someone had changed the patrol schedule. She dived into the nearest bush- the castle had a lot of them- and held her breath. There were voices, a deep nearly Irish brogue got her attention. She peeked out, her curiosity getting the better of her. She'd never heard an Irishman in their land. Rumor had it they sailed the seas, traveling realms and protecting the weak.

She didn't buy it for a second.

"Killian wanted to meet the princess," a new voice said loudly, slurring their words. Emma's eyes widened, but not at the mention of herself. The navy officer reception. It was tonight.

_Shit,_ Emma thought. She messed up. They had to have figured out she was gone. Snow had probably gone up to her room to try and get ready together and do more bonding, only to find her room empty, the ball gown discarded on her bed.

How had she forgotten that? And if anyone told her an Irishman was going to be in attendance, maybe she would have stayed.

"You're drunk, mate. Bad form," The Irish voice said, making Emma try and get a better look. His voice sent a faint _zing_ through her, but she pushed that away because it was ridiculous. Stranger's _voices_ weren't supposed to be a turn on.

"Everything is _form_ with you, Lieutenant." The drunk sailer went on, Emma saw him nearly topple over. "Good form, bad form, good form, bad form. Here, have some rum," He stretched out his arm, holding a flask.

"If you puke on my ship, I'm throwing you overboard," Killian answered good-naturedly. He and his drunk companion, plus the man he'd been speaking with before their drunk comrade appeared, drifted passed the bush, and soon enough were out of sight. She had barely managed to get a look at him, all she had seen was dark hair and a pressed uniform.

She slid out, pulling the leaves out of her long blonde hair. It was time to climb. And hopefully figure out a plausible excuse. Where could she say she'd been hiding? Pulling herself up, she'd barely risen two feet off the ground when the Irish voice suddenly drifted back to her.

"I just left my-"

Emma looked.

He stopped.

She realized how this must have looked. Her mouth had suddenly gone dry, and while she usually always had something to say, her mind seemed to have stopped working. Because while rebellious Emma, _Princess_ Emma, had spent the last few years sneaking out and defaming authority, here was a man who looked good in his uniform. Something Emma had never appreciated before. He was striking. Tall, dark hair, a sturdy jaw, blue eyes that shone in the dark...

Killian, had his friend said? It was sexy. Exotic.

The lieutenant didn't feel the same way, because in a flash he had recovered from the shock of finding a young girl hanging off a castle and unsheathed his sword. "Hands up!"

Emma did so, inadvertently sending herself plummeting two feet to the ground. She groaned as the naval officer strode forward, his sword pointing at her neck.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Emma said harshly, forgetting any compliments she might have paid him. She was staring at the blade that was inches from her. She was trying to figure out her odds sending him a kick in the ribs.

"Trying to steal from the king and queen, were you?" His accent seemed less and less attractive as this went on. At least, that's what Emma tried to tell herself.

She was about to shriek, but kept her outrage bottled up. He didn't know her, it was an honest mistake. She had looked like a thief.

"Stand up," Killian ordered, moving his sword away from her neck a few inches.

Emma got to her feet, smirking. "Going to arrest me, _Lieutenant_?"

She crossed her arms, forcing Killian to say, "Hands up,"

"That's got to be the first order someone has given me in a long time," She drawled, walking around him.

Killian's sword was up in a flash, following her. "Stand still," he commanded.

Emma looked at him. "I heard you wanted to meet the princess."

Killian's eyebrows pulled together. Emma's smirk morphed into a grin and she looked up at the sky. It was full of stars. When she looked back at Killian, he was appraising her.

She caught him. She feigned shocked. "My, my sailor. Eying a woman up? Not such a gentleman after all. Bad form."

Killian didn't blush. She had expected him too. He seemed like such a straight edged puppy. "Were you hiding in that bush?" His wrist flicked over to the bush she had indeed been hiding in.

"Of course not." Emma said indignantly. "Princesses don't hide in bushes. Or so I' told. I'm a mind reader."

"You're the-?" The question hung in the air unfinished. She grinned at his distress. He looked at the sword and back at her. "You can't be the- you're not wearing a gown!"

She looked down at herself and laughed. True, she wasn't wearing a gown. She looked back at the lieutenant and smiled, "I never wear gowns, not if I can help it. Would you prefer me in a gown?" She pouted playfully. Killian still looked distressed, even more so when she batted her eyes at him.

"You were breaking in!" Killian went on forcefully, his sword unsteady.

"I was _sneaking_ _in_. You know, that thing you do after you _sneak out_." Emma huffed, "And if you hadn't left something behind and come back I'd already be inside." She shivered, rubbing her arms. "It's freezing out here."

Killian looked like he would have offered his jacket if he wasn't so shocked. Finally he dropped his sword. "Your Highness-"

"Oh, please," she cut him off, but he was already going to one knee and holding his nat against his chest. "Stop that."

"My apologies-"

"I said stop,"

He did. He stood up, sheepishly putting his hat back on. They stood there in an awkward silence for a moment, each of them stealing glances when they thought the other wasn't looking.

"How was dinner?" Emma finally asked. "Killian, right?"

He nodded, "Killian. What do I call you?"

"Emma,"

"No princess?"

"Definitely not."

"Okay," He smiled at her, "Dinner was good. Best meal I've had in awhile. Why did you skip it?"

She rubbed her arms, the cold getting to them. Killian stepped forward, his jacket sliding off his arms. "Oh, no," she started, holding up her hands, but it didn't stop him. His set it on her shoulders, close enough that she could smell the ocean on him. Emma smiled, putting her arms through the coat.

"So many other things to do," she said. "Street performers, cats to chase, children to scare."

Killian smiled at her. "Children to scare?"

"Yes... How long are you here?"

"Another hour," said Killian, glancing behind him like he'd just remembered some of his crew were nearby. Emma's stomach clenched at this revelation and she hastily told herself of course he'd be leaving soon. He was Irish, obviously.

Better to leave now while she still had her heart. Dignity. Dignity, not heart.

"So are you going to help me sneak back in?" She teased.

"It's the least I can do," Killian answered, following her towards the window.

He got down on one knee, putting his hands together so she could step into it. She grimaced as she remembered the mud on her boots. "Sorry," she said, holding her foot up so he could get a look.

He chuckled. "Don't worry. Mine have looked worse."

In no time she was halfway up the wall. They made a good team. She glanced behind her, pleased to see he was still there. "Are you checking out my ass?" She called down to him.

"Of course not," he said.

"Bad form to lie, Lieutenant." She said with a laugh, hoisting herself up a few more steps. When she looked down again he was smiling at her in wonderment.

"Bad form to skip dinner," he said back.

She thought about it. They would have met if she'd been at that reception. But they may not have gotten to talk like they had if she hand't snuck out so he could catch her sneaking back in.

"Bad form to tackle a princess," she fired back, her fingers reaching the ledge of the window.

"I didn't _tackle _you," Killian drawled.

"Bad form to threaten a princess with a sword!" she amended.

"Next time I'll do better."

_Next time,_ her heart drummed manically. They were quiet will she fiddled with the window, until she couldn't take it anymore and said, "If I fall will you catch me?"

"I think that bush looks like it can handle the job just fine." How had she thought his accent was unattractive, even for that mad second?

Soon enough she was heaving her body through the window. Her feet landed on the hall quietly and she spun around quickly, sticking her head out the window.

He was still there, small and far away. He held up a hand in farewell.

"Thank you," she said, but the word felt to minute. He could have hauled her ass to the front of the castle and marched her inside. Her parents probably would have given him a medal for returning her safe and sound. But he had helped her.

He swept his hat down and bowed in a grand show of worship. She rolled her eyes. He looked up at her with a smile that made her grip the windowsill tighter.

"How long until you're back?"

"Six months, at least," he told her.

"Do you write?"

"Aye," he smiled, "And I read."

"Multitalented," she laughed. She didn't ask the question she wanted to, but she didn't have to because Killian answered it for her.

"Aye, lass. I'll write to you."

"Okay. And I'll tell you about the kids I scare."

He beamed at her. "Good night, Emma."

"Good night, Killian." She watched his slowly disappear out of sight, joining up with his mates and then returning to the ship that had brought him to her, and was taking him away all at once.

She slowly climbed the steps up to her room. She didn't get far before her mother rounded a corner and they collided with each other.

_Shit, _Emma thought. She still hadn't come up with an excuse.


End file.
